Project Runway Canada debuts; first episode is online

Last Monday, Slice, a Canadian TV channel, debuted the first international version of Project Runway. It’s hosted by supermodel Iman and features designer Brian Bailey in the Tim Gunn role, mentoring the show’s 13 designers.

Their time on the show began with a 30-minute challenge that eliminated one designer, and the debut’s major challenge was a twist on one we’ve seen in the US: the designers had to “each create an innovative look using only the clothes from another competitor’s suitcase,” according to the network.

The first episode is on Slice’s web site, but is only viewable by Canadians, perhaps as revenge for all of the US reality shows that air in Canada but which refuse to cast Canadians. However, someone put last week’s debut episode on YouTube yesterday, so watch it while you can. While the show lacks the personalities the US version is basically defined by, the show otherwise looks and feels like its American counterpart.

Here’s the first part of the first episode; a link to the other parts will appear at the bottom when the first clip ends:

about Andy Dehnart

Andy Dehnart is a journalist who has covered reality television for more than 15 years and created reality blurred in 2000. A member of the Television Critics Association, his writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in Playboy, Vulture, and many other publications. Andy, 38, also directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. More about reality blurred and Andy.

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reality blurred is regularly updated with reality TV news; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of reality TV shows including Survivor, Big Brother, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, The Voice, Top Chef, and many more.